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Evaluating The Effect of Initial Soil Moisture Content on Infiltration Characteristics Using Empirical and Hydrus 1D Models

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Abstract

In irrigation water management, it is critical to understand the infiltration rate and its properties. The study aimed to evaluate the ability of some empirical equations and Hydrus 1D models to predict soil infiltration and the effect of initial soil moisture content on infiltration characteristics. The experiment was conducted on Arba Minch demonstration farmland using a double-ring infiltrometer, and the performance of the various infiltration models (Horton, Philip, Kostiakov, and modified Kostiakov) and Hydrus 1D was evaluated in the study area at five different initial water contents. The results showed that the Horton and Hydrus 1D models were fitted with the observed infiltration for the soil with five initial water contents (0.13, 0.256, 0.31, 0.354, and 0.375), and the goodness of fits was evaluated by R2 and RMSE with a range between 0.9967–0.997, 0.93–0.94, and 0.0054–0.006 and 0.024, respectively. Hence, Horton and Hydrus 1D models were successfully used to evaluate the cumulative infiltration of soil in the study area. Therefore, in this study, the Hydrus 1D model well captured the infiltration rates at different initial soil moisture contents.

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All relevant data used in this study has been provided and collected from various sources.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Water Resources and Irrigation Engineering, Arba Minch University Water Technology Institute, Arba Minch, Ethiopia

    Yohannes Smeneh Ketsela, Samuel Dagalo Hatiye & Amare Tadesse Muche

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  1. Yohannes Smeneh Ketsela
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  2. Samuel Dagalo Hatiye
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  3. Amare Tadesse Muche
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Contributions

Yohannes Smeneh Ketsela has conceptualized and designed the analysis, collected the data, contributed data analysis tools, performed the analysis, and written the paper. Dr. Samuel Dagalo Hatiye has collected the data, contributed data analysis tools, and performed the analysis. Amare Tadesse Muche has collected and contributed data analysis tools.

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Correspondence to Yohannes Smeneh Ketsela.

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Ketsela, Y.S., Hatiye, S.D. & Muche, A.T. Evaluating The Effect of Initial Soil Moisture Content on Infiltration Characteristics Using Empirical and Hydrus 1D Models. Water Conserv Sci Eng 8, 47 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41101-023-00216-w

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